With Tournament Aspirations, Volleyball Heads into Final Home Weekend

As the season wears on for the Canisius volleyball program, the goal continues to be the same, qualify for the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference tournament. With its win over rival Niagara on Thursday, the first since 2013, that goal is seemingly more realistic. This weekend will be a critical one for the Blue and Gold as it heads into its final two home contests of the year, facing Manhattan on Saturday and Iona on Sunday. Both matches are slated for 1 p.m.

NOTING THE GRIFFS
• Canisius enters the contest with a 8-14 record and a 6-6 mark in the conference.
• With its win against the Purple Eagles, Canisius already surpassed its conference win total from last year with six matches yet to be played.
• Cassidy Ceriani comes into the contest on quite the role, having tallied her ninth double-double of the year on Thursday, and has tallied 40-or-more assists four times in the last five matches.
• Ceriani is ranked third in the conference in assists per set with a 9.12 mark.
• Sofia Lopez Acosta continues to settle into her libero role, having tallied 20-or-more digs four of her last five matches, and the lone match without reaching that plateau, she recorded 19.
• In her last five contests, Lopez Acosta is averaging 22.6 digs per match.
• Lopez Acosta is ranked fourth in the MAAC in digs per set with a 4.36 digs per set average.
• Claire Leonard continues to be the straw that stirs the drink on offense, having posted double-figure kills in her last five matches.
• Leonard is ranked third behind Claire Archibald (Iona) and Skyler Day (Fairfield), posting a 3.62 kills per set average.
• Middle blocker Sara Wesley continues to be one of the most efficient offensive threats in the league, posting a .312 hitting percentage, .02 percentage points short of Erin Hoener of Manhattan.

SERIES HISTORY AGAINST OPPONENTS
• Having won the first meeting against Manhattan, in Riverdale, N.Y., Canisius improved to 26-18 overall against the Jaspers.
• In the last seven matches against the Jaspers, Canisius is 7-3.
• With its road victory over the Gaels, Canisius is now 16-29 against the Gaels.
• Canisius is 6-4 in its last 10 against Iona.
• The Griffs can sweep Iona for the first time since the 2015 season.

UP NEXT
Following the final two home contests of the season, Canisius faces the final two weekends on the road. The Griffs head to Marist and Siena on Nov. 4 and 5, while the team takes on Quinnipiac and Fairfield on Nov. 11 and 12. All four matches are slated for 1 p.m.

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Players Mentioned

#3 Cassidy Ceriani: S; 5' 11"; Sophomore

#15 Sara Wesley: OH; 5' 10"; Junior

#1 Claire Leonard: OH/MB; 6' 0"; Freshman

#2 Sofia Lopez Acosta: L; 5' 7"; Junior

Players Mentioned

#3 Cassidy Ceriani
: 5' 11"; Sophomore
: S

#15 Sara Wesley
: 5' 10"; Junior
: OH

#1 Claire Leonard
: 6' 0"; Freshman
: OH/MB

#2 Sofia Lopez Acosta
: 5' 7"; Junior
: L